It’s a tough world out there and in this busy and loud world, we all want our kids to be heard. We want them, to not only have opinions, plans and advice but be to be able to share them with everybody without fear.
Confidence is necessary not only for the emotional, psychological, and intellectual development of your child but also vitally important for their integration into the society. Only when they are confident, will they find being social easy. This also contributes to future success. Let’s take a look at a few ways in which you can help your child be more confident.
- Avoid giving them labels
Labels, especially the negative ones, have the tendency to stick. So, avoid using the words ‘shy’ or ‘nervous’ directly to your child or to people when describing them. - Don’t dismiss your child’s feelings
If your child is being nervous or hesitant to express something, be patient. Listen to her, ask her calmly what is bothering her and try reasoning with her.
- Pushing too hard will do more harm than good
When dealing with under confidence, you have to take care that you don’t overdo it. Back off if your child is resistant despite reasoning. Tell her that it’s okay and it’s pretty common to be a little hesitant sometimes. Give relatable examples and tell her about how that person overcame that fear and conquered it. - Boost her self esteem
Being confident and being comfortable in your skin go hand in hand. Make sure that your child doesn’t feel insecure about who she is. Usually such insecurities may arise from physical appearance, cultural backgrounds, or lack of parental attachment. Teach your children that they are special and in no way less than anybody. - Encourage her to express themselves freely
Bottled up feelings are often hard to express. So, encourage your kid to speak freely. Tell her that she is welcome to you with anything and that your love for her is unconditional. Show physical affection to remind her that you love her. If need be, share and express some of your work or personal concerns to help her open up. - Hand her some responsibility and let her make decisions
When you hand over a chore or duty to do to your child, she thinks that she is solely responsible for it. This sense of responsibility will encourage her to take charge and get the work done.
This instils, in kids, the confidence to handle tasks individually and promotes decision making. - Encourage extracurricular activities
Having an extracurricular activity helps the child learn a healthy way to express her feelings. Activities such as drama, debate, and public speaking help in removing the fear of being in the spotlight. Whatever may be the activity your child chooses, support it.
- Don’t give up on your child
Sometimes as parents, you may think that your child might not be able to cope, but never share this concern with your child because your words will become a self fulfilling prophecy. Your child counts on you for support so be patient and never give up. - Don’t embarrass her publicly
Even when your child makes a mistake in public, be patient and kind. Do not make a spectacle of her mistake. Otherwise you will strip her confidence and she will be wary of speaking out loud.
A confident child is more likely to succeed in life. The ability to speak up and being able to fully express themselves is vitally important especially in today’s world where only people with strong voices are heard and you as parents have the power to influence how confident your child is.
